Marius Domeika, Karen Babayan, Rashad Ismailov, Iryna Shimanskaya, Krasimira Chudomirova, Tatjana Brilene, Oleg Kvlividze, Judith Deak, Gulsum Askarova, Galina Mamajeva, Vesta Kucinskiene, Natalia Frigo, Alevtina Savicheva, Tatiana Krasnoselskich, Gennadiy Mavrov, Olim Kasymov, Olga Izvekova, Magnus Unemo, Ronald Campbell Ballard
DOI: 10.2340/00015555-1033

This paper reports survey-based data on the diagnosis and management of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in 14 countries of the Eastern European Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health (EE SRH). Only 43% of the countries could provide the number of genital HSV cases recorded at national level. Eighty-six percent of countries employed syndromic management in cases of genital ulcer disease. Most countries performed type-specific and/or non-type-specific enzyme immunoassays to detect HSV antibodies. Non-type-specific
serology for diagnostic purposes should be actively discouraged. Direct detection methods for HSV, such as PCR, antigen detection and culture, are available in the region, but their usage was extremely low. Their use in Eastern European countries should be actively promoted. The availability of laboratory services must be improved, and countries in the region should implement consensus recommendations for the laboratory diagnosis of genital HSV infections in order to improve clinical practice.